


In Your Stead

by Aureia



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:55:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23065840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aureia/pseuds/Aureia
Summary: When Roy Mustang follows a strange pull to Central Headquarters on that fateful day in 1914, he arrives just in time to avert tragedy.DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T COMPLETED THE MANGA/BROTHERHOOD
Relationships: Gracia Hughes/Maes Hughes, Maes Hughes & Roy Mustang, Roy Mustang & Team Mustang, Royai (not the focus)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	In Your Stead

**Author's Note:**

> Maes Hughes' death is one of THE worst events in Manga and Anime history (case in point, just writing about it here makes me want to bawl). This is my attempt at changing it. Maes Hughes should live- and he does, here (though it's not all sunshine and roses, far from it. Because he does get shot).  
> Irregular updates.
> 
> Not sure about the title...is it ok?

Walking towards Central Headquarters at a brisk pace, Roy tried to tell himself that he was being stupid and that he should turn around and get back to his actual post now. But he was antsy about the impending move- and stupidly sentimental for wanting to inform his friend personally of it rather than by phone as he would normally do. This was headquarters after all and he'd worked long and hard to achieve this- although his team aside, everyone thought he was just a lazy layabout, arrogant and womanising. It was an image he was intending to keep, which was why it was likely monumentally stupid to appear here in Central right now to check out his new work space. Not that he would give that reason, if he was asked. It wouldn't be the first time Maes would be his excuse and Roy was actually strangely desperate to see him. Besides, now the tickets had been booked and he was already there- Riza would be even more pissed at him if he turned tail now - and it wasn't his style to just leave. 

Something in the air, a strange, gut churning premonition he couldn't explain but one that was all too familiar ever since Ishval made him stop short of entering the looming military building, instead stepping carefully around the edge, as if drawn by a strange power. The gunshot that split the air felt like a sucker punch to the gut, especially since at that moment he saw just who had been shot...and who appeared to be the shooter. The air fled his lungs and he lost a few precious moments trying to compute, to understand just what he was seeing.  
Maes, his life flowing out of him through a devastating shot in the che- shoulder, please, let it be the shoulder -, a crumpled heap in a phone boot. In front of him, weapon still smoking, Gracia. No. This wasn't happening. Suddenly, the woman that wasn't, couldn't be, Gracia, transformed- into a kid, with long greenish hair. Anger rushed through his veins as his muscles suddenly unfroze. This wasn't Gracia, no it wasn't even human. It was a monster. A monster who had dared use his friends beloved wife's face to shoot him. Roy snapped his fingers as he rushed toward the scene.

Envy ran as if the hounds of hell were snapping at his heels and for all he knew, they were. Mustang's initial volley of fire had nearly incinerated him on the spot. Only the man's obvious shock at seeing his friends murder had enabled Envy to avoid the blast at all. As it was, he still got singed and further volleys of fire disabused him of the notion that he could return any time soon. He would just have to hope it was enough. Hughes shouldn't survive and if he did, he wouldn't be able to talk. There wasn't another option. Father would be angry enough as it was with him and Lust for being seen, though actually, Lust hadn't been seen. Not by Mustang, anyway. The man really was a menace, too bad Father wanted to make him a sacrifice. What had he been doing here anyway?

Lucky for Envy, he wasn't the main priority right now. As much as Roy wanted to kill the guy, he was far more focused on saving a life, rather than taking one. Revenge could come later. His hands shook as he dug out the bullet, talking to Maes all the way, promising he would personally come to the afterlife and kick his ass if he dared to die now. The stench of burning flesh nearly made him retch as he closed the wound and stopped the bleeding as carefully as he could, memories of Ishval clamouring for his attention. When he was finished, he sat back on his haunches exhaustedly, trying to plan his next move. He was a wreck, shaking with adrenaline and panic, a panic just barely held in check by Maes' continued - though horribly labored - breathing.

One thing was certain- he couldn't go to Headquarters. Who knew how many other shapeshifters had infiltrated it. But Maes needed help, professional help. And Gracia, he needed to warn her- no he needed to hide her and little Elicia from whatever forces would threaten them, now that simply killing Hughes hadn't worked. Although perhaps he should make it seem as if Maes had- the thought was too horrible to finish. With shaking fingers, Roy took the phone, a new sort of horror flooding him when he realized who was on the other line. Maes had been calling him. If not for his uncharacteristic urge to visit Central, he would have heard his friend die over the phone. If he would have heard him, even. His hand around Maes forearm, continuosly checking his far too thready pulse, tightened as he swallowed, trying to speak.

"I know you want to speak to the Colonel, but I don't know where he is, Lt. Hughes- is there anything I can tell him?" Riza's voice sounded down the line and Roy clung to it, lettting it wash over him. He tried to speak, but his voice stuck in his throat. Panic was still clawing at him.  
"Hello? Hughes?"  
"Ri-"  
"Colonel?!"  
"Riza, Maes was...he's...I..." Roy coughed, his mind violently flashing back to Ishval as he got a lungful of burned flesh. Anguished cries of dying, burning people in his ears made it difficult to understand Riza's worried response, but he somehow gathered that he needed to respond, tell her something.  
Maes coughed. The horrible sound snapped him out of his flashback and dumped him straight into the nightmare that was his reality. He needed to keep it together right now, Maes' life depended on it- and quite possibly, Elicia and Gracia's too. He forced himself to look at his friends too pale face.  
"I will protect them for you for a while, but they need YOU. I need you. So hold on, Maes. Please, I really can't do this without you."

**Author's Note:**

> So...did you like it?
> 
> Btw, anyone know how to do cursive or bold?


End file.
